And, looking at him, Helen knew that if Hugh Alston and she met again, he would certainly not know her, for he had no eyes for anything save the lovely cold face of the girl before him. “Oh, Joan,” she said, “there is one of those bags I have been wanting to get for a long time past. Excuse me, Joan dear, will you?” And Helen made hurriedly to a shop hard by, leaving them together. Joan felt angry with herself now it was too late. She ought to have given him the coldest of cold bows and then ignored him; but she had been weak, and she had spoken, and now Helen had deserted her. “I will say good-bye, Mr. Alston, and go after my friend.” “No, wait—wait. I want to speak to you, to thank you.” “To thank me?” She lifted her eyebrows. “For what?” “For speaking to me.” “That sounds very humble, doesn’t it?” She laughed sharply. “I am very humble to you, Joan!” “Mr. Alston, do you realise that I am very angry with myself?” she said coldly. “I acted on a foolish impulse. I ought not to have spoken to you.” “You acted on a generous impulse, that is natural to you. Now you are pretending one that is unworthy of you, Joan.” “I do not think you have any right to speak to me so, nor call me by that name.” “I must call you by the name I constantly think of you by. Joan, do you remember what I said to you when we last met?” “No, I—” She flushed suddenly. To deny, was unworthy of her. “Yes, I remember.” “It is true, remember what I said. I take not one word of it back. It is true, and will remain true all my life.” “My friend—will be wondering—” “Joan, be a little merciful.” And now for the first time he noticed that she was not dressed as he had seen her last. There was a suggestion of wealth, of ample means about her appearance. Clothes were the last thing that Hugh thought of, or noticed. Yet gradually Joan’s clothes began to thrust themselves on his notice. She was well dressed, and the stylish and becoming clothes heightened her beauty, if possible. “Joan, I have a confession to make.” She bent her head. “I couldn’t act unfairly or deal in an underhand way with you.” “I thought differently!” she said bitterly. “I remembered my promise made to you at General Bartholomew’s, yet I came to London in the hope of seeing you, that was all that brought me here. I would not have spoken to you if you had not spoken to me first. I only wanted just to see you. I wonder,” he went on, “that I have not been arrested as a suspicious character, as I have been loitering about General Bartholomew’s house for days, but I never saw you, Joan!” “I was not there!” “No, I gathered that at last. You will believe that I had no intention of annoying you or forcing myself on your notice. I wanted to see you, that was all, and so when I had made up my mind that you were not there, I went to the City Office where I saw you last.” Her face flushed with anger. “You have taken then to tracking me?” she said angrily.